What Are the Characteristics of a Brooklyn-Style Pizza?
A Brooklyn-style pizza is characterized by a thin crust that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese made from half skim and half whole milk. The pizza is cut into eight slices and sprinkled with Romano cheese. The crust should crack slightly when it is folded.
The taste and texture of Brooklyn pizzas, and New York pizzas in general, has been attributed to the minerals that are present in the city's water. The crust is made from a high-gluten flour. Common seasonings include oregano, granulated garlic, Parmesan cheese and red chili peppers.
One of the first pizzerias in America to serve Brooklyn- and New York-style pizza was founded in 1905. It was originally a grocery store that was owned and operated by Gennaro Lombardi and Antonio Totonno Pero. During that time, if people were unable to pay for an entire pizza, they would tell the Lombardi or Totonno how much they could pay, and they would be given a slice proportional to their payment. Totonno left to start his own Brooklyn pizzeria on Coney Island in 1924.
In 2006, Domino's Pizza released its version of a Brooklyn-style pizza. It had cornmeal baked into the crust and a blend of shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese on top. Domino's also cut the pizza into six slices instead of eight.
